Air Arabia, the UAE's only listed airline, is reducing its workforce by about three per cent, joining global carriers in taking measures to cope with the plunge in air traffic demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Sharjah-based carrier, which has about 2,000 employees in total, cut 57 jobs this week, a spokesperson confirmed in an emailed statement.
"It is unfortunate that we had to take the decision to lay off a small number of our staff members this week," the statement said. "This is the first time in our history that we were forced to do so taking into consideration the current market realities.”
Airlines around the world are taking unprecedented measures to survive and preserve cash by slashing flight schedules, grounding planes, and undertaking staff furloughs or lay-offs. The International Air Transport Association, an industry lobby group representing some 290 airlines, forecasts global carriers could lose $314 billion (Dh1.15 trillion) in passenger revenue this year – a 55 per cent drop compared to 2019.
Low-cost carrier Air Arabia, along with other UAE airlines, suspended scheduled passenger flights since March 25, but operates a mix of repatriation flights and cargo services.
Air Arabia did not provide information on the type of jobs that it had cut.
"Since the start of Covid-19 outbreak, we have taken a series of measures to protect the jobs of our employees while sustaining the business," Air Arabia spokesperson said. "We will continue to do everything possible to safeguard our employees by keeping layoffs to the minimum and only as a last resort."
Other Gulf carriers have also announced measures to cope with the worst crisis in the aviation industry's history, including cutting salaries and asking staff to take unpaid leave.
The pandemic "had an impact on the aviation industry, which is forcing airlines all around the world to seek aid and escalate internal measures to ensure their business continuity", the Air Arabia spokesperson said.
Reuters had earlier reported the Air Arabia job cuts.
Iata has repeatedly urged governments around the world to protect their airlines with urgent financial rescue packages or risk their collapse along with job losses.
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- Flexible work arrangements
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Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
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